Run Away Princess
by bubblegumballet
Summary: Emma is a princess, with the wicked to be stepmother and clueless father like always. finaly she's had enough; she runs. her two siblings in tow. she stays with a friend, but ends up falling for her son.
1. Chapter 1

It started out slow and advanced to a quick blow

It started out slow and advanced to a quick blow. The wind whipped the loose hair into my face. I watched as the sunset over a blanket of blue. As I watched I heard the most dreaded sound in my world. The sound of the alarm clock rang from my bedside table, alerting me that it was seven in the morning. I groaned in response as I turned over to shut it off. In the process I rolled over and fell off of the bed.

"AH!" my scream was quick, but loud. I landed with a thud and another groan. I pushed off of the ground and grimaced at the pain shooting through my left arm. It was covered with a cast from a dancing accident.

"What now, Em?" I heard my sister yawn as she walked through our rooms conjoining door and rubbed her eyes. I realized the alarm was still going off and she pushed the snooze button. "Yeah Stacie's gonna be so proud of you for falling off your bed…again." She laughed and pulled me up.

"Don't even start with her right now." I told her. Erica knew that I didn't get along very well with our new to be mother.

"She's not that bad." She told me as we made our way to my bedrooms door. She put emphasis on the word that. She didn't love her either, but she was way more tolerate of her than I was. I pushed open my door to the corridor outside as a maid walked by.

"Good morning your Majesties." She said as she curtsied and kept walking. I sighed at the name. In full my name was Her Majesty the Princess Emma Elizabeth Phoebe Tutor, daughter to the throne. Yeah throne you heard right. I am the princess of a tiny little country on the Mediterranean coast of Europe called Greshva. Weird name yeah I know.

"Ugh. Do they have to call us that?" Erica asked. She couldn't stand being called that either. We're twins and think a like, but are completely different. While she's good at most school related things and some sports, I'm a dancer who loves music, and not just listening to it, but playing it. I'm also a writer, I decided that if I was a princess I would become a journalist when I grew up.

"Anyways…what's this big surprise that Stacie just couldn't wait to tell us about?" I asked her she shrugged and slid down the stair case banister. I laughed slightly and skipped down the stairs after her. We linked arms and skipped through the kitchen where the cook just shook her head and continued to set a fire a blaze on the duck she was roasting. We skipped through the door into the dinning room and stopped dead in our tracks. The whole room was silent as soon as we entered. My father and Stacie looked up from a chart they were examining. My little brother, Max, looked up at the silence and smiled at us. He could be clueless at times, but cute and sensitive at others. I smiled warmly back at him as Erica and I sat down across from him. At the other end of the table Stacie and my father had gone back to conversing, but quietly.

"Good morning father," I said and after a longish pause "Stacie." She threw me a reproachful look and greeted me coldly. I grinned at her a mocking smile. Max and Erica stifled a giggle and I returned to my toast.

"Children, we need to talk." My father stated in a serious tone. I glanced up at him and saw that Stacie was standing behind him smirking at the three of us. She placed her hands on his shoulders and he continued forward. "We have…um…found suitors for you. You will be flown over to them and in two weeks times you'll be married." My mouth had dropped at the word suitor.

"I'm seventeen!" Max exclaimed as we nodded in unison.

"And we're only eighteen!" Erica said motioning to herself and me. I nodded again speechless. I shook my head and we all three threw back our chairs. I stormed out of there with them right behind me. I ran up the back stairs and fell onto my bed crying. My phone rang from next to me and I looked at the screen. It was my big sister, I mean from the big sister little sister program, Denise.

"Sweety what's up?!" she basically yelled into the phone. She was forty something, but acted like a teen. I sniffed loudly before trying to reply. She heard the sniff and stopped me midsentence. "What happened?" she was all serious now which made me feel safe talking to her.

"They found me a suitor." I said through the phone. "I'm getting married in three weeks. I don't even know who he is!" I yelled into the phone.

"Okay sweetheart just call it off at the alter, just say I don't." she told me. We discussed it for a little while longer until Erica came knocking at my door. "Love you sweety. We'll figure something out." She said and we hung up.

"Come on, Max and I are letting off steam on the four wheelers." She told me and dragged me outside. "So how's Denise?" she yelled over the engines.

"Fine. She says hi." I told them both. My parents didn't know about Denise and none of us planned on telling them.

"Good. Now let's go before Stacie catches us." Stacie hated these things. They were loud and dirty. We sped off and went off road onto the field surrounding the castle. I turned around and went to the shop to grab my phone which I left there. When I got there Stacie was there waiting for one of us to return.

"What in hell do you think you're doing?! Huh!" she yelled as I turned off the thing and sat there staring at her with no emotion on my face. "Answer me you worthless child." I just sat there and let her go off on her rant. "You don't deserve the crown. Your not perfect enough for it." Yeah she believed in perfect.

"When are things gonna be good enough for you." I yelled as she started to walk away. She froze and turned back towards me.

"What?" she asked with a horrid look on her face.

"You heard me! When are things gonna be good enough for you?! Huh!" I yelled as she walked slowly back towards me. "When you've got my family's money? When you can officially order me around and I have to do it? When you're queen? When you can get the Botox I heard you setting up an appointment for? When you're the pretties person in the world?!" I yelled at her as she brought her hand down hard upon my cheek slapping across the face.

"You're worse than I thought. If anyone deserves that crown it's me and I'll be the best queen this countries ever had." She said looking at me with daggers in her eyes.

"You won't be even a finite of the queen my mom was." I stated lowly.

"Why, you insolent little brat! How dare you talk to you're mother like that." She said I clenched my jaw at her calling herself my mother.

"You're not my mother!" I yelled in her face. She slapped me across the face once more before storming out off towards the castle. I stepped down from the vehicle and grabbed my phone. She had gone towards the front of the castle so I ran towards the back door. The cook looked at my swollen cheek and gave me an icepack. I sat at the table and held an icepack to my face. The cook scolded me about getting into a fight, and asked who I had a fight with, but I wouldn't tell her. She just sighed and sent me up to my room to get ready for the ball. I walked up quickly and stripped off my clothes. I pulled the orange dress up and had Erica zip it up for me.

The dress was orange, with no straps. The bodice had orange rhinestones on it and the skirt was just plain. I pulled my black hair partway back and clipped it with a butterfly pin. I curled it and brushed eye shadow over my eyelid. It was orange and went well with the fair completion I happened to have. I watched as Erica straightened her hair and left it down.

As she finished and sat down in the chair across from mine the door opened. Max came in followed by Stacie. I rolled my eyes as Max sat down on my lap. He was only a year younger, but we still loved to sit on each other and do things you would do with a four year old.

"Well Erica you look fine, Emma…you just look like your self. I'm not impressed." She said I glared at her and so did Erica and Max. "Your suitors are here tonight. You're father and I will be leaving tomorrow for France for the next couple of week. We won't be at the weddings and we won't be seeing you for a while say bye to him tonight." She said and turned to leave. She purposely hit the dresser sending my picture of my mom, Max, Erica, and I to the ground where the glass shattered. I gasped as she turned around. "Oops, sorry did I do that?" she asked innocently, but with a wicked twist to it. "Oh I also had the portrait of your mother brought down and burned. It was old and dusty." She said laughing and exited the room.

I patted Max's leg and stood up. I walked over to the picture and took it out of the frame. I folded it up and placed it in my bra. It's a girl thing. I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and started to write something. Erica and Max leaned over my shoulder as I wrote and Erica gasped. It read:

Dear Father,

I can not stand it here anymore so I'm going away. I might be abandoning the throne, but not for long just until I can think thing through. I love you, but Stacie is making you someone you're not. I hope you can see the truth in this letter, I'll miss you,

Love always,

Emma

"But we need you!" Max exclaimed. I shook my head no.

"No you don't. Max when I fell and tore my rotator cuff who carried me? You." I told him. "It would be nice to stick together, but I can't stay here." I told them throwing pants and underwear from a drawer in a suitcase. I moved on and pulled out my shirts and bras. Shoes came next then toiletries.

"Then we'll come with you." Erica said and I stopped my packing. They signed the letter and rushed off to their own rooms. I smiled at the thought of having such great siblings, who always stuck together. We were kind of the picture perfect siblings I guess you could put it.


	2. Chapter 2

They came back just as I was finishing zipping my suitcase

They came back just as I was finishing zipping my suitcase. "Okay how do we get out of here without getting noticed?"

"Scaling." I stated simply. Max smiled at the thought. We had done scaling before, but Erica was new to it. "Give me your suitcases." I said and they handed them to me. I tossed them out the window and onto the pillow underneath them I pulled up the skirt of my dress and climbed over the balcony railing. I side walked along it until I came to the wall I quickly kicked off my shoes and pulled my self onto the stones the made up the side of the castle. Max was quick to follow and Erica came eventually. I went down half way and stepped onto the ivy ladder. Climbing down quickly I landed on the grass and pulled my shoes back on. Max landed smoothly, but I saw Erica slip, but luckily she was just a couple feet above the ground so she landed on her feet. I handed them their suitcases and crept past the kitchen window where the cook and a bunch of other servants were rushing around trying to get everything ready for dinner.

"Where are we gonna go? And how are we gonna get there?" Max asked as we ran towards the shop. I skidded to a stop in front of the door and opened it up.

"That's one way we're getting there." I panted from the running and pointed towards a blue mustang. I threw my bag in the back and stepped in. Erica climbed into passenger seat and max climbed into the back seat. It wasn't until then that I noticed that he was wearing a tux. "Don't look half bad Max." I teased as I back up and out of the shop. A limo pulled passed us and headed towards the castle as I sped towards the airport. I completely ignored the stop signs, I had this town wired. The cops took off of the streets at five and didn't return until ten. There was a five hour gap where no one was watching especially today since there was a ball and everyone was there.

"Oh thanks." He said straightening his tie. Erica and I laughed as I turned on the radio and music started blaring through the car. Thirty minutes later I pulled into the airport parking lot and quickly hurried inside.

"How can I help you ma'am?" a man around twenty asked from behind the counter. He looked up and saw that it was us and bowed really quickly. I motioned for him to stop and he nodded.

"Is there any plane boarding right now that's going to Florida?" I stated and Erica and Max looked at me funny. The boy nodded at looked up the flight.

"There's one that just started boarding. Here," he printed out three tickets and I handed him a thousand dollars. Tickets here were only three hundred at the time. "Gate 30 C." I quickly ran towards the gate and stepped in line with the other twenty or so people getting on. I handed the lady my ticket and she scanned it. Max and Erica did the same and we walked onto the plane. I stored my suitcase above me and sat down in the window seat. I was at the back of the plane, so no one saw me really. Max and Erica sat in front of me and Erica turned around.

"Why are we on a flight to Florida? If we're staying with Denise she lives in Georgia." She told me like I didn't know.

"I know, but dads sure to start asking around, so buy a plane ticket to close by state, buy car once in state and drive to Denise's." I told her and took out my phone. I placed it under my foot and then crushed it. Erica's eyes widened. "Trackers. Hand 'em over." I said as two phones came flying at me over their seats. I put both under my feet and crushed them. The sturdiest started their safety talk and I just tuned them out. I had flown enough to know the speech by heart. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back the last thing I wanted was to be on an eleven hour flight to Florida. The speech was over and I was now getting the pushed against a chair feeling. I let my head tip to the side as I felt my self fall into a deep sleep.

There I was standing in a field of flowers walking along in a green dress running my hands through the flowers. Very princessesy as my mom would have put it. A boy walked out of the trees lining the meadow. He had blonde hair with brown eyes. He was muscular and a chiseled face. A smile played across his lips as he saw me and raced towards me. I ran at him and he lifted me into the air. I could tell what was coming next, but was jolted awake before I could get to that part. I was a hopeless romantic and now, a grumpy sister to a certain Erica Tutor.

"Come on they're unloading." She said and handed me a suitcase. I stood up and stretched, while waiting for the line to file off the plane. I realized I was still in the dress as I stepped into the airport and was looked at strangely by everyone. I tapped Erica and Max's shoulders and nodded towards the bathrooms. The agreed and we stepped into the bathrooms. Changing in a three foot stall isn't all that exciting, actually it's more like annoying. "God darn it!" I heard from the stall next to me. I giggled and kept on pulling the undershirt over my head. Stepped out of the stall in a mini denim skirt with leggings, along with an orange undershirt and an almost see through knit jacket. I left on the orange heels and waited for Erica to come out. She finally came out in jeans and a t shirt and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. She had our father's mouse brown hair and I had adopted our mother's black hair.

"So where are we buying this car?" max asked as we stepped out into the spring breeze of Florida.

"Not a clue." I answered. I was always the mastermind of the plans, but only thought some half way through. "I guess we ask." I answered and walked up to the counter. "Hello, I'm trying to find a place to buy a used car somewhere close." I asked the lady.

"Um…Big Ben's Used Cars is right down the road." She told me as I nodded motioning for Erica to lead the way.

"So at least it's not that far away." She told me, I knew she expected a short walk, but this is an airport after all.

"Honey it's an airport. That means that it's probably about two or three football fields long." Max said before I could even open my mouth. Erica groaned and we continued the walk down the streets of Florida. It was warm like you expect it, and the view was amazing. The ocean was on the left of us and on the right was a line of shops. Up a head I saw a huge sign that say Big Ben's on it in neon green lights. I cross the street in the middle of a road and walked quickly towards the car lot. Very few people were on the lot and most of them looked liked salesmen. When I stepped foot on lot two men came up to me and started their pitch. Max and Erica got there a couple minutes later. Hey told the salesman who had gone over to them that they were with me. He left looking disappointed and trudged back to a bench in front of the main office. I was led over to a convertible car and ran my hand around the outside, while checking out car as a whole. There was a tiny scratch out the left rear tire. They told me that it was just a slight bump that the tire had when it was shipped to the lot. I wasn't excited about a fancy car in the suburbs of Georgia and asked if we could just look around for a few minutes. They nodded and left.

"What's wrong with the car?" max asked as he drooled over it.

"Georgian suburb. Duh!" Erica answered and headed off towards some cars that looked like they were probably from the eighties. I wasn't looking for that beaten up though.

"I'll find something that'll fit. I promise it won't be from the eighties." I reassured him as he looked skeptically after Erica. "Don't worry I promised, didn't I? I always keep a promise." I said as let go of his shoulder as he walked of toward Erica to complain about the cars she was looking at. I turned on my heel and headed off around the lot. Towards the back were cars like Neons and Jeeps. The Neons looked like they would get to stuffy even in the beginning of December. I moved towards the jeeps and spotted a red one with no windows or cab for that matter. There were bars that hooked up at that top form like a rolling cage. The car looked to be in perfect order, no scratches, no dents, nothing. This was something I could go for. Max wouldn't be disappointed and Erica would be fine with it. If I knew anything when we reached Denise's house he would make sure that he was the first one to go under the hood. I had no problems with that though, he was the one who fixed up the old mustang I had back home. I turned around and went to find Max and Erica.

I found them looking at an old beaten up pick up, probably from the nineteen seventies or something. My mouth dropped at the fact that Erica was even considering this car. I took one look at Max and saw him looking kind of sick. I walked over to him and gave his shoulder a squeeze. He looked at me with pleading eyes and I nodded. He heaved a sigh a relief which drew the attention of Erica.

"Oh, sweetie what do you think of this one?" she said with a smile pointing to the truck. I smiled weakly and shook my head no. Her smile dropped and she looked at me like oh please like you could do better. I motioned for her to follow me and walked back to the Jeep. Max's eyes lit up when he saw it and started check. "Fine. I guess you have better eyes for cars than me." She sighed and went to find a salesman. Max jumped off of the step to get in and onto my back. I stumbled forwards with an oomph while he was thanking me non stop. I hooked my arms underneath and hoisted him up onto my hips.

"Stop, even if I didn't find this car, I would have taken the convertible over that thing." I said referring to the truck. He laughed as I jumped up and down with him on my back.

"Hair…mouth…can't breath." He choked out and I stopped I set him down and pulled my hair into a ponytail. The curls had come out from my sleep on the plane and now it was back to its wavy nature. "Aw someone looks cute as hell." He said in a mocking tone and picked me up slinging me onto his back. I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. Just as we got comfortable in this position Erica and a saleswoman came back with the keys. I was guessing Erica bought the car her self and signed my name, because we all knew I was the only one who would have enough money to pay for the car.

"These the siblings you were telling me about?" she asked Erica and nodded. "I have five and we did things like this all the time." She told us while pointing to Max and I. "Well have a fun time in New York, Andersons." She said handing the key over to Erica who smiled and watched her walk away I climbed off of Max's back and walked over to Erica. The key was dangling in her hand and I grabbed it.

"Hey!" she said to my face as I threw our bags into the back of the car. Max climbed in and sat in the back seat. I motioned for Erica to jump into the passenger seat. She shook her head no. "She gave the keys to me, so I'm driving." She said and reached for the keys. I had got the gift of tallness from our father, while she inherited our mom's height. Plus I was in heels so holding the keys out of her reach was simple.

"Well let's se who you signed the documents as and who's bank paid for the car and insurance." I said looking at the paper Max had grabbed from Erica.

"She signed as you, used your money for the car and insurance. So, technically this car belongs to you Em." He stated and pushed Erica from inside the car towards the passenger side. I climbed in and started the car up. Erica reluctantly sat down and buckled up next to me as we started out on the all night car ride to Portal, Georgia.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been eight hours since we had left the car lot. We had crossed in Georgia about four hours ago. After dinner in a small diner we had started right back up again. We had decided to only stop for necessities like the bathroom, food and gas. It was almost one in the morning and Erica and Max were asleep in their seat and I was tired as heck. I was almost on the edge of breaking down and falling asleep. I knew I only had twenty minutes before we reached the town and I was starting to have serious doubts about waking up Denise, John, and Nathan at one in the morning. John and Nathan were Denise's husband and little boy around eight.

I turned off of the highway and onto a road that led straight to Portal. For the next twenty minutes I entertained myself by singing along with the quiet radio, bouncing up and down in my seat, finishing off my energy drink and sticking part of my head out the window. Right as I pulled into the town a motel popped up and I turned into the parking lot. I went and check in with the manager and then carried Max upstairs to the room. I then carried Erica up. The bags came next and when I saw them firmly asleep on the beds I didn't want to move them, so I grabbed a blanket and an extra pillow and crashed on the ground in front of the window. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was out cold.

The next morning I was awoken by a violent shaking of my shoulder. I let out a groan and yawned. "What?" I asked turning over facing away from them.

"Come on the sooner we get up you can see Denise." At that I jumped up from the ground all tiredness melting away. I grabbed a change of clothes from my suitcase and ran into the bathroom. I pulled off my old clothes and pulled on the jeans and blue tank top with stars all over it. I pushed the top half of my hair back and let the rest fall including my side bangs. I washed my face and dried it off. I told myself this was as good as I was gonna get and walked out to see Max and Erica with their suitcases in hand I stuff my stuff in mine and walked with them down the hall. Max took my stuff as I went to go check out.

When I stepped outside the Jeep had been pulled up and Erica slid over for me to drive. I climbed in and asked Max to hand me my blue flats. He did and I swapped them out quickly replacing the orange heels. I took the Jeep out of park and sped out of the parking lot. We road down the streets looking for 234th ST. We finally found it on the other side of town and pulled onto it. 95372 was going to be on the right so I had Max and Erica watch out for the house.

"That one!" Max stated excitedly as I parallel parked in front of a yellow house with rose and holly bushes lining the outside. I blue Honda pick up was in the driveway and a cherry red Jetta sat in front of where I parked the Jeep. I opened my door and climbed down. Max and Erica sat in the car while I walked up towards the house on the concrete path. I stepped up onto the deck and knock on the front door. I heard Coco's barking and laughed inwardly at the cute little King Charles Cavalier Spaniel.

"Shush Coco." I heard a males voice say as footsteps approached the door. The door opened to reveal a older man somewhere in his forties with slightly graying brown hair. His brown eyes looked confused then sparkled as John realized who I was. "Emmy!" he shouted and pulled me into a hug.

"Jonny!" I shout as well hugging him tightly. He lifted me off the ground and would have spun me, but the area we were in was way too small.

"Dad are you okay?!" I heard another younger male voice call, but it definitely not Nathan's. It was too deep for an eight year olds voice. I heard three sets of feet running down the stairs and one coming from the kitchen. I told myself that this was it they would let us stay or not. Denise appeared in the doorway which I assumed led to the kitchen area, and Nathan, another boy and a girl appeared on the stairs. John and I had let go of each other, but he still had his smile plastered to his face and a hand on my shoulder. Denise's eyes widened went she saw who I was and barreled into me with a hug. I laughed to myself and sighed at the happiness of it all. It was a relief compared to the stiff and monotone way of life my family had taken on.

"What are you doing here?" she asked finally pulling away with her hands on my shoulders.

"Um…can we talk about that in private?" I asked as I looked around at all the faces. The boy and girl kept looking from their parents to me and the each other. They were confused and their expression showed it. Nathan on the other hand had frozen in his placed with his eyes wide. He shook his head which made me smile and ran toward me attacking my legs sending me tumbling to the ground. "Hi Nathan. How's it been?" I asked as he held onto me as tight as possible sitting on my hip as I got off the floor.

"FINE! Now that you're here though I think I'm fabulous." He said I smirked as he said fabulous. It was just something you didn't expect a little boy to say.

"That's great." I told him set him down on the ground. I stepped towards the other two and extended my hand. "Hi I'm Emma Tutor." I said shaking their hands. Brown hair was a trait in this family. The girl had short bob and the boy had a longer style of hair. The girl had hazel eyes like John, and the boy had brilliant green eyes Denise. A tan was visible on both of them.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Amanda and this is my brother Dean." The girl stated with a smile. The boy just did a short wave at the mention of his name. I smiled at both of them before Denise cut in.

"So why don't you go get Erica and Max out of the car Nathan and tackle them, while me and my fave little sister catch up?" she questioned as Nathan nodded. Amanda and Dean looked bewildered.

"She means from the program big sister little sister." I told them as they returned to their normal looks. Nathan had already barreled out the door as John chased after them. "Wow he's still the little bundle of hyperness that was two years ago. When I came here." I stated as we moved into the kitchen and sat down at the island bar. She motioned towards the coffee pot and I shook my head no. I had never collected my parents taste for coffee. She nodded her head and poured her self a glass.

"So what's going on that forced you all the way over to the united states?" she asked sitting back down next to me. I sighed and clasped my hands together in front of me on the counter.

"Stacy is a witch. She slapped me twice and broke the picture of my mom, Max, Erica and I. she forced my dad to find us the suitors, and calls herself my mother. I couldn't take it anymore, so I left and Erica and Max came with. I left a note saying we need time to think basically and that we'll be back." I said as Denise wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"So where are you staying?" she asked the question I was dreading. I hated asking people for favors especially one like this.

"Um…in some motel around her I guess." I told her as she shook her head.

"Not gonna happen. You're gonna stay here along with Max and Erica. We would be happy to have you and have the three extra rooms for you." I smiled at her thanked her as she and I head back out into the living room where everyone was talking and getting to know one anoher. Max and Erica glanced up at my entrance with questioning looks.

"Uh Denise?' I asked pulling on her sleeve to slow her down. She looked at me with a questioning stare. "Don't tell anyone were royalty please?" I said and she nodded. I smiled and turned toward Max and Erica who took that as a yes. They returned to the conversation as Denise and I sat down next to Max.

"But football is a mindless game, full of dangers and risks." Erica stated towards Dean who was sitting across from me. He was looking at Max for help then turned towards me. After a second I turned towards Erica to see her about to speak, before she could I cut her off.

"Yeah football is full of risks and dangers, but so is every other sport. Including soccer." I said hitting her in the stomach, and her jaw dropped.

"You can't take his side!" she stated and I shrugged.

"Okay then I'll be in the middle." I said moving onto the coffee table and facing both of them. "Ok let's look at this logically. Risks and dangers," I said holding a hand about six inches off the table. "are not more than fifty percent seen. In fact they are bare ten percent of the time seen." I told her dropping my hand lower as she nodded. Dean just studied me talking to the both of them which made me a bit uncomfortable, but I pushed on. "The lessons learned from the game are far greater than the risks," I said raising my other hand to my shoulder. "and you know the saying what doesn't kill us makes us stronger." I directed toward Erica. "besides it teaches cowardination, builds endurance, and strengthens the muscles." I said moving back to my original seat.

"Fine. It's still a mindless game though in my opinion." She said crossing her arms over her chest.

"And that's just fine sweetie." I told her patting her head. She glared at me, but brushed it off. I turned back to the other and started the conversation back up. "So I guess this all started because you play football?" I questioned Dean and he nodded.

"Yeah I'm the running back." He told me I looked and saw his legs were muscular. He was athletically fit.

"Yeah then that definitely builds endurance." I said back. "Do you do anything?" I asked turning towards Amanda. She was and artist and was going to go to college for it in two years. Nathan was the same lacrosse and John was really too tired up at the law firm to go play sports lately. Denise was still working on her backswing for golf which went wild. We talked for a little while before Max's stomach growled out in hunger. I looked at him and smiled. I rolled my eyes as Denise stood up.

"How's about I go grab some lunch from subway and while I'm gone Dean show Emma her room, Amanda show Erica hers and Nathan show Max his." She told her children, while she and John headed towards the door with keys in hand. We watched as they left and then just looked at each other nothing being said.

"This is a bit awkward." I said out loud with rose a giggle from Amanda and a smirk from the boys. "Okay well," I said pushing off the couch and picking up my bag that had been brought in. Dean stood up as well motioning for me to follow him.

"So how old are you exactly?" he asked as we started up the stairs.

"Oh, I'm eighteen and I'm gonna be turning nineteen in April." I answered him with a smile. "How about you?" I asked him as we reached the second landing.

"Same age, but I turn nineteen in February." He answered and blushed a little. He turned his head hoping I wouldn't see, but I had caught it.

"What's with the blush?" I asked in a teasing manner.

"Um…I was born on…um…the fourteen." He said quickly as we reached the third floor. My mouth dropped a bit, but I didn't show it. He led me towards a door and opened it for me. "This is your room. Hope you like it." He said and was about to leave when I called his name.

"Dean?" I said as he turned. I leaned against the door frame. "I think it's cute." I said shutting the door.


	4. Chapter 4

After closing the door I finally got to take a look at the room I was going to stay in

After closing the door I finally got to take a look at the room I was going to stay in. There was a black iron work bed with matching bedside tables. There was a desk sitting underneath a large window facing the backyard. There were two bookcases on either side of the desk filled with random books on random subjects. The bed faced the door to the hallway and on either side of the bed was door. I opened them to find that the one on the left led to the en-suit bathroom and the one on the right it led to a closet, not a walk in one, but a simple one, with shelves and drawers on one side and a bar to hang up clothes on. I turned around and looked at the color of the walls and bedspread. The bedding was a pale blue with beading and the pillows matched.

My bag was on the bed sitting at the foot, so I sat down and reached in to grab my computer. I pulled up my email and saw that I had five new emails all from John Paul. I laughed he and I were like best friends because he was my age and was the chief's apprentice. I opened the first one he had send two days ago about the party and how much he hated them. The second one was from yesterday before the ball asking how much I wished if I could throw Stacie out of the castle, after he had been told about the swollen cheek. The third, forth and fifth had come after I had disappeared and were frantic emails asking if I was okay and if I went through with what the note had said. I closed the page and fell back against the pillows. The note only said we were going away for a little while.

As I was laying on my bed thinking a sudden thought struck me. I sat straight up and jumped off the bed. I walked quickly down the hall not making a sound. I knock on the door next to mine and Dean peeked out.

"Hey can I help ya?" he asked leaning against the door frame. He wasn't who I was thinking was next door.

"Oh I though Max or Erica was next door sorry." I told him as I backed away from the door. He nodded and stood up from the door. He walked over to the overview circle the stairs follow.

"Max is right underneath your room and Erica is across the hall." He said pointing to the doors. I nodded at saw him study me once more.

"What?" I questioned him turning straight towards him. He realized I saw him and he blushed again.

"Nothing, nothing." He said retreting towards his door. I grabbed his arm and pulled him around to face me.

"Seriously, what? Is there something in my teeth or something?" I questioned not get what he was staring at.

"Nothing. You look great, there's nothing in your teeth." He said and closed his door before I could go on. I stood there facing his door for a second before turning towards the stairs and bonding down them two at a time. I pounded on Erica door and when she answered I pulled her across the hall to Max's room. He answered and I pushed Erica into his room. He moved aside and Erica plopped down on his bed. He sat down on a chair and I stood in front of them.

"We have a problem. We technically don't exist here." I said as Erica sat up and Max's head snapped up from his hands. "We have to call him." I told them making every word its own sentence. Their eyes widened and they shook their heads no. "We have too!" I exclaimed. They might not know him as well as I did, but he was our only chance. "He's are only chance at some form of a life here!" I told them as I opened the door and quickly walked up the stairs.

"Are you sure about this?" Max asked with disapproval present in his voice.

"Yeah I mean what about last time?" Erica chimed along with him as I shook my head. I stopped and turned to look at them on the landing.

"He's our only chance." I told them and turned back around to face Dean's door. I knocked and heard a muffled one minute come from the other side. He opened the door and was dressed from the waist down. It was again a surprise, but not a surprise to see he had a six pack, but if there were any doubts he was fit they disappeared immediately.

"Oh, hey. Sorry." He said grabbing a shirt off of his bed. I leaned against the door frame and watch as he pulled it over his torso. He came back over to us and turned towards me. "What's up?" he asked everyone, but kept facing me.

"We need to use a phone, but don't have ours on us. Do you have a landline or something we could use?" Erica asked a little angry still from being told she had to do this. Dean looked a little confused at her anger, but still nodded.

"Yeah we have a phone down stairs in the kitchen, but you just use my cell phone." he said grabbing a phone from the desk sitting next to the door and tossed it at Max.

"Em, what's the number?" he grumbled a bit miffed at me, but he would get over it.

"206-930-8599." I gave him the number and he punched it in. He put it to his ear and listened to the buzz as dean motioned for us to come in. Erica sat down on his bed with Max right beside her and dean offered me the chair, but I just motioned for him to have I and leaned against the desk next to him. His room was a navy blue with dark wood furnishings like a desk, bookcases, dresser, shelves and bed frame. There were books littering the bed and desk, some on trigonometry, some on English, and some on physics. They were beginner books, and were about two to three inches thick. "Interesting subjects." I whispered to him as he looked up from Max. He looked confused, but then realized I was talking about the books littering he place.

"I have to take the course to keep up on my scholarship." He explained in a hushed tone as Max started to record a message for him. "I found a lot of the subjects boring and confusing. I have to take dance class and I'm completely lost in the class." He laughed, but I just nodded.

"I think I could help in that subject. I've been dancing since I was two." I explained and he got a look on his face, a look of excitement. "And I'm sure I could help you get a grasp on some of this stuff, even thought I hate trig and physics." I told him and he laughed.

"Well what are you majoring in, in college? That's if you go." He asked intrigued.

"Well in college I was going to double major in Journalism and Dance, but my family…um has certain…" I paused trying to find the right word. "expectation for me, that I have to follow. They want me and my siblings to take over the family business." I explained and he nodded.

"They should want what you want for yourself." He said, which seemed a bit ridiculous for my family seeing as my father was being controlled by a witch.

"Um…well let's just say my family is a whole lot different from yours." I informed him as he looked at me confused. "My mom died five years ago and my dad is about to get remarried and the woman hates me." I told him and he looked at me with sympathy.

"I'm sorry. If it mak-" he started to say, but Max interrupted by throwing the phone at him. I glared at my brother who just looked down at his feet.

"No answer?" I questioned and they nodded yes. I saw a smile playing on the lips of Erica and I shot her a glare, which made her looked down at her own feet. "You told him to give me a call at least right?" I asked as he nodded and stood up. "Thanks for letting us use your phone." I said to dean who just smiled and nodded. I made my way towards the door and stepped out into the hallway as the front door opened.

"Lunch kids." Denise called up the stairs I stepped out into the hallway with dean right behind me and Erica and Max shot down the stairs. I smiled and rolled my eyes as we followed them down.

"So what's your major in college?" I asked him, intrigued by our whole college talk.

"Um, I'm there on a football scholarship, but I'm double majoring in Studio Arts and Film Studies." He told me as I nodded he was the first person I'd heard majoring in two risky areas at the same time.

"Intriguing. I think you're taking a risky move, but then all moves seem risky for college students, but I think if you have a talent and want to pursue the subjects, go for. No matter what anyone else says." I told him as he looked at me intently as I told him my thought on the ordeal. "What? Just because I'm not the smartest person in things like math and science, doesn't mean that common sense escapes me." I told him as we approached the kitchen. "Just be careful with Erica she's the one who has to be sensible no matter what." I warned him as I stepped into the kitchen. Erica and Max were standing at the counter as Denise handed them two six inches subs. They joined Amanda, Nathan, and John at the table and dug right in. I was handed a six inches sub and sat down next to Max across from John. Denise sat down at the head of the table and Dean took the seat next to her.

"So while ou're here what do you plan on doing?" John asked out of the blue and I could tell it was directed at us even though Erica and Max probably didn't.

"Well I guess putting Max into his senior year at high school is a must, and then I think I'm gonna go check out the colleges around here and start school myself." I told them and Denise nodded her head in agreement. Max looked at me like I was crazy. He had hated the tutors that he had for school. "I promise it will be better than Joshua." I told him and he returned to his sandwich unsure.

"Who's Joshua?" Amanda asked from next to Dean.

"We were home schooled, so Joshua was our teacher who was like ninety years old." Erica explained to her and she nodded.

"What about you Erica? What are you're plans?" Denise asked as Erica thought about it.

"Well I took college classes in high school," true. "so I guess I'll just try to go out and get a job." She answered as Denise and John looked impressed at her already taking college classes. I loved her to death, but sometimes she just made me feel so stupid. I looked down at my sandwich and finished it off in two bites. I looked back up and everyone was starting to clear the table of the plates Denise had set out. I picked mine up after crumpling the wrapped into a small ball, only to have it take from my hands. I looked up as Dean walked to the sink and placed the plate in it.

"So what are you all doing after lunch?" Denise asked looking from one another. I glanced around and everybody shrugged.

"Well Emma offered to help me with some school stuff, so I guess we could start on that." Dean told him mom glancing at me and I nodded in agreement.

"Oh great have fun!" Denise called as we headed up the stairs.

"Physics? Fun? Since when?" he joked and I laughed quietly we climbed up the stairs and went back into his room. I plopped down on the carpet and pulled the physics book towards me.

"Physics." I stated and opened the book to his bookmark.


	5. Chapter 5

We had been shut up in his room for four hours and were only half way though his review packets. I sighed as I threw down the fourth one on Trig and picked up one on English.

"Ah. Now this is something I could teach." I said shifting around on the ground. Dean rolled off of his back and onto his side facing me.

"We're reading Shakespeare's Tempest. It's boring and hard to understand. I mean who proposes after five second of knowing someone?" he told me I laughed at his thought on the subject. I looked down at the sheet and then back up at him.

"Well exactly what are you're feelings on that topic?" I asked simplifying the question on the paper.

"Well; I guess marriage should be for love. Not beauty or on a sudden impulse because those marriages tend to be short lived." He explained to me and I was in shock. "What?"

"Wow. Just wow." I said turning back to the paper and tossing it to him. "You answered the first question." I told him as he looked at the paper. He looked confused at what the paper was saying because my version was no where near as fancy as the sheets question.

"Oh I see what you did. That makes it a lot clearer." He stated and filled in the sheet. He finished and laid the packet aside going back onto his back. I rolled back as well and groaned.

"How many more packets?" I asked closing my eyes at the thought of more.

"This is the last one." He asked holding up the packet and sitting up. I sat up along with him and took the packet back. There was one question asking him to read act five, and one telling him to write a brief summary on the plot and meaning of the play.

"Mmkay. Well you just have to finish the book and then I can help you with the brief summary of the plot and meanings." I told him looking back up as he stood up. He extended his hand to me and pulled me up as well. "What type of dance have you been working on for finals?" I asked him picking up the packets and books off the ground.

"Ballroom, all types." He told me as I sighed this was going to be one long night.

"Okay hold on. I'll get my mp3 player." I told him and walked back to my room. I picked it out of the suitcase and took it back to Dean's room. I hooked it up and selected a song called Hosanna by Hillsong United. I was never religious, but I thought the song was amazingly done. "Okay how about we start with the simple waltz and move from there?" I asked and motioned for him to come forwards. Making sure the door was closed he placed a hand on my waist and took my other hand in his. "Okay the steps are simple. Long, short, short, long, short, short." I told him he took a long step and I followed keeping up with the super fast pace he was on taking the short steps. "Okay, okay, stop." I told him letting go of his hand.

"What? I did long, short, short." He said quoting my words.

"Yes you did, but you have to keep in time to the song. Listen." A song called Mighty to Save by Laura Story came on and I started to count out the beat. "1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 3. Eventually someone will be able to sing the song and you'll be able to dance to their singing." I told him get a hold on his hand again and led his feet around. "You lead." I told him and he started to lead. This time he was slower and with the song, counting under his breath. "Good now without the counting and with someone actually singing with the song." I told him and he looked at me confused. "I'm gonna sing with the song and get you to dance to my voice." The chorus was just about to start and when it did I started to sing he looked taken aback and then started to try to dance. He stumbled along at first, but then soon got the hang of it. He looked at me and smiled.

"You're great." He told me when we stopped. I blushed a little and looked down at my feet. "So what's next teach?" he asked and I laughed at the name teach.

"Let's stick with Em or Emma." I told him and he nodded. "Um…I mean we could try salsa if you've done it before." I informed him and he shook his head no. "What have they been teaching you? Samba, waltz, tango?" I asked as he shook his head no at each besides waltz.

"They been teaching fancy moves for waltz." He informed me as I reached for my mp3 player.

"This is gonna be a long night." I told him glancing at his clock. It was six when I looked and the next time I looked it was ten at night. "Okay stop." I told him after he dipped me. I dropped down to his floor and laid on my back. "I'm dead and we've been dancing for the past four hours." I told him as he sat down besides me. He looked taken aback by the time and then shrugged.

"Time goes fast when you're having fun I guess." He told me and I was glad to hear he though it was fun. "How about we play twenty questions." He said as I rolled over onto my side and nodded. "We'll go back and forth with questions and then both answer them." I nodded once again and he started. "Birth place?"

"Preshton, Greshva." I answered and he laughed at the name. I shrugged and motioned for him to answer.

"Philadelphia, Pennsylvania." He asked and motioned for me to ask the next question.

"Favorite color? Mine's orange." I told him also answering the question.

"Blue. Birthday? February 14."

"April 21. Childhood pets? A cat." I answered.

"None. Too many little kids around." He thought about what he should ask next. "How many boyfriends have you had? I've had one girlfriend."

"None. Currently in a relationship? Not." I asked.

"No. where you want to live later on in your life. Somewhere in England." He answered the same answer I would give.

"London or England in general." I answered and thought about another question. We kept going on way past twenty and I found out that he was allergic or milk, but not dairy products, he had a major fear of ducks, and had a couple enemies in school, but not a lot. That didn't come as a surprise, because of what a great person he was. "I think I should go to bed." I said glancing at his clock and saw it said 1:30 AM in bright red letters. I stood up and walked over to the door with him right behind me. I turned around to say goodnight and h was standing within five inches of me. You could smell his body wash from this distance. It was old spice just like Max's. "Goodnight." I said and gave him a kiss on the cheek. I turned around and went into my room. I pulled on my orange and pink flannel plaid pj bottoms and a different tank top to match and fell down onto the bed. Just like the night before right when my head hit the pillow I was out cold.

The next morning I work up to the sun shining in my face and blinding my view of everyone. After turning away from the light I looked around the room and saw a phone sitting on the dresser in the corner. It was definitely the land line in the house and there was a note right next to it. I got out of the bed slowly and picked up the note.

Dear Emma,

Everyone's at work or at school, feel free to go out around town and explore. Or go check out the college on Drices drive a bit further out. Help you're self to the food in the kitchen.

Your fav. Big sis,

Denise

P.S. check down stairs on the island you'll find a special gift for you and your family.

I questioned what it could be as I set off down the stairs. I tip toed not wanting to wake up Erica and Max. I reached the landing and quietly ran into the kitchen. Sitting on the kitchen counter was a red LG Shine, a black Pantech Duo, and a blue Samsung Blackjack two. My name was taped to the shine and on the piece of paper was the number for the phone. I quickly ripped it off and inputted Max's and Erica's numbers also placing Denise's and His numbers in there. I ran back up the stairs quietly, with the phone in my hand and back into my room. I grabbed another pair of jeans and this time a pink tank top with orange hearts all over it. Slipping on a pair of pink and orange sneakers I wrote a note to Erica and Max saying I was going out to check out the town at that if he called to have him call me on the number Denise had given me. I also told them there was a surprise down stairs for them in the kitchen. I placed it on my pillow, grabbed my wallet and went to exit the house.

I climbed into the car and headed a bit further out of town like the note had said and watched out for Drices drive. I saw the sign for the road and on the corner was a small coffee shop. I parallel parked and went in. There was a small group ordering or talking as I approached the counter. A cheery woman asked for my order and I just took a blueberry muffin and a pink lemonade. She poured the drink and handed me the muffin before telling me the cost. I pulled out a five and handed it to her walking away. I stepped outside and turned down the drive. The whole drive was devoted to Drice college and had buildings for housing and buildings for classes on each side. A walked a little ways before stopping at the admissions office and asking to check out some classes.

"Sure thing dear. What major or majors would you be in?' she asked reaching for a list below the desk.

"Um, Journalism and Dance." I informed her. She nodded and took out a highlighter. She highlight about ten different classes that were spread out over three days.

"The dance class is every day at noon and our football players have to take the class. History of the different dances is only on Tuesday and Thursday. Newspaper meets everyday after school. English would be everyday. Those are the main classes. If you have any questions on the others just ask and I'd be happy to answer them. Go a head and check out the dance class right now it's in the next building over in room one twenty one." She told me and I nodded. I walked out of the door and ran towards the next building over. The football players were in there which meant Dean was dancing in front of a crowd. I pulled open the front door and turned down the hall to where music was pounding through the door. I straightened my self and opened the door. I walked in and everyone just watched me walk over to the teacher.

"morning can I help you ma'am?" he asked and I shook my head no.

"I'm just here to check out classes. So please continue on. I looked around the class and saw Dean watching me with a surprised look. He smiled and waved I smiled back and slide down the wall and watched as the teacher showed the proper way to do the waltz using the same technique I had used yesterday. He stepped away from the girl and counted heads. I heard him mumble under his breath before turning towards me.

"Do you know how to waltz?" I nodded my head yes and stood up. "We need one extra person do you think you could dance with someone, there's only five minutes of class left." I nodded and he exhaled his breath. "Why don't you dance with Dean Jones. Dean raise your hand." He instructed Dean who did so. I nodded and walked over to Dean. "Okay take the position." He said and started some music. "Go." He told them and everyone started to waltz some worse than other. I saw Dean mumbling under his breath and I kicked his leg during a step. I gave him the don't count look and swayed my head to the music. He nodded and shut his mouth. Five minutes passed and everyone was dismissed. "Mrs…." I heard the teacher call as I started to walk away. I turned around and looked at him.

"Tutor." I told him and he nodded.

"Ms. Tutor you do plan on taking this class if you come here right. I think you'd make a great addition." He told me as two girls my age nodded after stopping and listening. "My name is Zac. I don't do the who mister thing."

"Um, definitely taking the class because I'm definitely going here. Thanks." I said and waved head towards the door. The two girls caught up with me just as I was exiting and introduced them selves.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hi. I'm Quinn Conelle." A girl with long hazel brown hair in a ponytail said. She had matching eyes and a tan. She was about five, five, with long legs.

"I'm Keiko Ito." Another girl shorter than the other probably five, three or so told me. she was darker skinned, and the name pointed to Japanese. She had black hair also pulled back in a ponytail and bangs that hung into her eyes. There was a dark blue streak running through it.

"I'm Emma Tutor. It's a pleasure to meet you." I told them as Quinn stared off behind me. I turned and saw Dean and two other guys talking a few feet away from us. Dean looked up and saw me watching and waved. I blushed at being caught watching and waved back.

"Jack Farson. The quarterback on the football team, also my dance partner. He so oblivious to my feelings for him. Have you ever had that happen Emma?" Quinn asked as I turned back around to them.

"Kinda." I said and the looked at me with questioning looks. "I guess I fell in love with the idea of love, but was never able to date and never found someone." They nodded and sighed.

"It's really sad. His best friend Peter Petterson. He's cute funny and been my best friend since third grade, but he's only thought of me as his best friend nothing more." Keiko told me pointing to the other guy standing with Dean. "That's Dean Jones. He's here on a football scholarship and currently on the brink of failing English. We've all tied to help him, but nothings working the teacher like hates him."

"What did you say you were studying?" Quinn asked in sudden intrest.

"Journalism and Dance." I answered as she smiled evily. "What?"

"Come on." Keiko told me as they dragged me over to Dean, Jack, and Peter. "Hey guys, this is Emma, she's majoring in Journalism and Dance." The eyes of Jack and Peter grew knowing as the started introduction.

"This is Dean Jones. He's on the football team here on a scholarship and about to lose it if he doesn't bring his English grade up. Think you could help him?" they asked and I laughed to my self.

"Come on Dean! We spent at least two hours on those English packets last night." I whined jokingly. The others looked confused before I started to explain. "I'm staying with Dean and his family for right now. So I helped him study yesterday." They nodded and shrugged it off.

"Why don't you come out to lunch with us? It would be." Jack said as the rest nodded in agreement.

"I don't wanna ruin you're whole friend time, so I think I'll pass." I said shyly looking down at the ground. I was nudged in the back causing me to look up at Dean. He gave me the come on look and swayed his head to invisible music. "That's doesn't apply here!" I told him as the others looked confused.

"What doesn't apply here?" Peter asked a bit confused.

"Nothing." I said not looking away from Dean. We were having a staring contest. "Fine." I said curtly and turned back to see grins on the others faces.

"Wow three year oldish. Awesome." Keiko said and pulled me towards the exit. We walked outside and into a parking lot. "Who's driving?"

"I will. My car sits six." Quinn told us and approached a big blue truck. She got in and I followed her. We piled in with three in front and three in back. I was in between Jack and Peter. Dean was in the passenger seat, Quinn was driving and Keiko was in between the two. Jack was staring at the back of Quinns head and Peter was staring at Keiko engrossed in the conversation going on between them. I was listening and laughing at their argument.

"You two sound like a bitter old couple." Dean interjected which earned him a smack on the arm by Peter. We talked for about ten minutes before Quinn pulled into the parking lot of McDonalds. We climbed out and filed into the fat food stop. We sat down and the guys went to get the food.

"So you and Dean are living in the same house." Quinn said nudging of ribs.

"It's not like that. I mean cute, but he thinks of me as a friend nothing more." I said resting my chin on my hand.

"But you want more right? I mean look at him anyone who doesn't have a crush already would totally want more than to be friends." Keiko told me looking at the guys ordering. I laughed and sat up straight.

"I guess. But it totally wouldn't work." I told them as they looked confused. "My family is completely, bonkers, I guess would be the correct term. I'll explain later." I told them and they nodded.

"Your family should want what you want for yourself." Keiko told me and I laughed.

"Dean said the same thing. I guess great minds thing a like." I complemented her. The guys sat back down across from us with a tray full of fries, cup and cheeseburgers.

"Hope you like everything on your cheeseburger, but if not you can be like Quinn and Jack and pick off what you don't like." Peter told me handing me a cup and a cheeseburger. I nodded and unwrapped the burger. I watched as Jack pretty much took every vegetable off and Quinn took off her onions and pickles. She offered them to everyone and they turned them down. I motioned that I was gonna take and she handed them to me. I placed them under the bun and took a bite out of the burger. I drink was placed before me and it was Coke. I smiled and thought about the twenty questions last.

"So when are you gonna start classes?" Jack asked from across from Keiko.

"Uh probably next semester. You know after your guys' finals." I told him as a phone went off everyone looked at me and I realized it must have been mine. "Oh. Sorry one second." I said getting up and fishing my phone out of my front pocket. I answered and said hello. "Hello?"

"Hey sweety." My uncle Andie's voice rang over the receiver. "I got the message."

"Oh." I said I motioned one second to the people at the table and stepped outside sitting down at a plastic table. "So…can you help?" I asked facing th street so the people inside could tell what I was saying.

"Of course. We need to meet though. What are you doing right now?" he asked as I glanced back at the table.

"Um…having lunch with some friends. How about we meet in two hours at the…um…" I trailed off not sure where anything was in this town.

"Meet me in the food court at the mall in two hours. Okay?" he told me and I nodded forgetting he couldn't see me.

"Oh right! Yeah sounds good." I told him after a minute of silence. "I'll talk to you later uncle Andie. Bye." I said and hung up the phone. I headed back inside just as rain started to fall.

"Who was that?" Quinn asked as she reached for one of the fries piled on the tray.

"My uncle Andrew. He lives in the state and is coming to visit today. I'm meeting him in two hours at the mall." I answered her and she nodded. We continued talking, but switched the conversation to plans for after college. We sat there for an hour even after we had finished lunch and just talked. There was a lot of laughing and everyone in the placed looked at us at least once.

"Well I have class in twenty minutes so I should go. And since I'm driving I think that means we all go." Quinn stated as stood up we followed her out and dumped our trays it was still raining so we all ran towards the truck, but she couldn't find her keys. Jack groaned and Keiko grabbed Peter by the hand and started to do really bad waltzing around in the parking lot. I laughed and brushed my bangs that were getting plastered to my face out of my eyes. When I pulled my hand away it was grabbed and I was twirled. Dean and I did the same bad waltz around the parking lot as Jack pulled out his phone and started recording it.

"Come on I found the keys." We ran towards the car and Dean kept a hold of my hand. I climbed up front with Dean and Quinn, while Keiko climbed in back with Peter. We were all laughing and Keiko and I wrung our hair out on Quinn who squealed, which only sent the boy into a loud fit of laughter. In the heat of the moment I saw Peter grab Keiko and kiss her full on the lips. I stopped laughing and my eyes widened. They broke apart and there was complete silence until Quinn whooped. I laughed and gave Peter a high five and Keiko another one. The two guys clapped Peter on the back and congratulated him. I rolled my eyes as Quinn took off towards the school on the corner I told her to stop and I got out. I waved goodbye and Dean said he'd see me later.

I climbed into the car and sped off towards Denise's house. I ran into the house and bolted up the stairs I heard laughter from the kitchen and told myself it was Erica and Max. I ran into my room and stripped off my wet clothes I dried off and pulled on a spaghetti strap undershirt and a pair of blue plaid Bermuda short. I grabbed my wallet and phone from my other pants and stuffed them in the shorts pockets. I put my hair into a messy bun, not having time to dry it and ran back down stairs I yelled a good bye to Max and Erica who had moved into the living room and were watching tv. I saw Max raise his hand in acknowledgement, but Erica didn't. I laughed and ran through the rain back into the Jeep which I had placed a fabric hood on, before heading up to the mall. I had passed it on my way to the school and had thought about going in, but decided against it. This time I pulled in and parked as close to the building as possible.

Running in I almost slipped and got wet in the process. I looked around as people passed by and spotted my uncle Andrew with a stack off papers. He waved me over and I obeyed. "Afternoon." I said as I sat down and grabbed a hold of the coke he had ordered for me.

"Hey dear. So you need these?" he said passing me the papers. I looked down at the fake birth certificates and exhaled a sigh. I nodded and he laughed. "You ran away, so how does it feel to be free?" I laughed at how much time I spent of my life thinking of how I would feel free and great, but now it was just stressful and hard keeping away from telling the truth to most people.

'Stressful. It's not what I thought." I confessed to him and and he laughed in return.

"Good. You don't know how easy your life has been so far and this is a good thing to help teach you." He told me and I nodded we sat there and caught up for the next hour then he had an important job in Italy he had to leave for. He wished me the best of luck and then left the rain had stopped and there was only a slight drizzle going on. Everything was fine or that's what I thought until I got home.


	7. Chapter 7

I stepped in through the door and was automatically pulled into the living room by Denise. She sat me down in between Dean and Max and she turned on the tv.

"Good evening and welcome to the six o'clock news. I'm Veronica Stable and we have a story on fast food stops coming up, but first we have breaking news from the country of Greshva. I'll pass it over to Derek so he can fill you in." a woman who looked like she was in her thirties said and I could feel Max stiffen next to me on the couch. I grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. He looked at me with a worried look. I turned back to the screen to see a guy, a bit older than me appear.

"I'm Derek Anderson and I'm here in the lovely country of Greshva with his Royal highness the King and his wife to be Stacie Robinson." He said and my father and Stacie appeared besides him. My stomach twisted into knots and they were getting ighter with each passing second. "Now a few nights ago the princesses and the prince ran away and left a very disturbing note. I'm standing here with the note in my hand and am about to quote it." There in his hand was a piece of paper, but it wasn't the plain white sheet I had left. Instead he had a light purple sheet that looked like the stationary that Stacie had just bought. My mouth dropped and I'm sure Dean was confused as heck. "I'm quoting this right off of the paper. We're sorry father, but we can not live this life anymore. And to not do that we'd have to kill our selves," my heart dropped at the last statement. "so we're leaving and going to kill ourselves tonight. We love you and wish the best for you and mother." I got angry and my face red bright red, and I could tell it. My free hand curled into a fist and my eye started to twitch. I know not a cute habit, but it was a habit I guess you would call it. "So we're going to California and jumping off the golden gate bridge. Which means yes we're abandoning the throne." At that point I couldn't take it anymore I jumped off the couch and stormed into the back yard. I screamed as someone came out of the house.

"The note didn't say any of that!" I yelled as I turned around expecting to see Denise , but instead there stood Dean confused as ever.

"What do you mean "it didn't say any of that"?" he asked and I sighed, I guess the secret was out. I fell to the ground and onto my back.

"I wrote that note. But I didn't write any of that." I told him as he fell down next to me. he stared confusion turning to surprise. "I'm Her Majesty the Princess Emma Elizabeth Phoebe Tutor, daughter to the throne, or Princess Emma Tutor of Greshva." I told him as his eyes widened.

"If you didn't say you were gonna kill you selves, what did you say?" he asked as I sat up next to him and sat indian style.

"I said that I needed time to think basically." I told him. "That I wasn't abandoning the throne and that I'd be back to take my place whether I liked it or not. And trust me I don't want to be a princess." I answered him. He turned me to face him and I stared into his bright green eyes.

"You have to go back and stop the fakeness of it all and tell what you want and that you're still alive." He told me and my breath quickened. My heart was racing as I sat there staring into his eyes as he told me I had to go back. I stood up and nodded. My heart still racing I walked back into the house and away from the person who made me feel safe. I stepped into the living room and Max and Erica were already there with a bag slung over their backs. Max held a bag in his left hand and tossed it to me. I caught it and gave Denise a hug promising I'd come back eventually. We walked out of the door and away from the life I want and the place I hated to leave.

Fourteen hours later we landed in Greshva and Erica, Max and I ran off of the plane. We ran out of the airport and called a taxi over. "The palace please." I said as the driver nodded and sped off towards the palace. We sat in the back for half an hour before the driver pulled over and let us out. Max paid and Erica, Max and I ran around to the stone wall that stood on the east side of the place. I tossed the bags over and Max gave me a boost over. I jumped down from the top and Erica came next followed by Max. "Now we just have to get to dad before we are found by Stacie." I instructed and we ran towards the palace. At the back door I knocked twice paused and then hit the door with my foot. I heard hurried footsteps and John Paul appeared at the door. I motioned for him to stay quiet as he led us into the kitchen and then into the pantry. I sat down on a box of potatoes, ready to tell him the story, but he didn't even let me start.

"You have to do something about Stacie." He told me and I was taken aback. "She's mean and cruel and she fired the cook for preparing her eggs wrong. And I think I'm next." He told me as I sighed. I nodded and peeked out of the cupboard. No one was coming down the hall to my right and I couldn't see the hall on my left. I motioned John to go and see if the left hall was clear. He went out carrying a package of chocolate chips and closed the door behind him. I heard footsteps from the left and pressed my ear to the door. "Hey Paul." I heard John exhale.

"Hey." He sighed heavily and I pressed even harder on the door. "I wish Emma was here. She would know what to do. She'd make us laugh at no matter what happened, and she probably would have gotten Jenna," that's the old cook. "back by now." I felt a pang of guilt stab into my heart.

"Yeah." I heard John answer half heartedly. "I need you to go get the duck from the freeze on the other side of the castle, sorry Stacie told me to put it there." He told Paul and I heard footsteps hurry off in that direction. John opened the door and his face had fallen even more then before. The guilt just got even heavier on my heart.

"Come on. We have to find dad guys." I told them as they nodded. They looked just as sad as John. I squeezed Max's hand, who squeezed Erica and we ran off towards our father's dressing room. I tip toed up the stairs and waited as Rosa a maid went by not taking notice of us. The whole castle had an air of depression surrounding everyone and every thing. I continued down the hall with the guilt growing heavier on my heart with each person who we hid from as we passed. I turned down the corridor, at the end sat my father's dressing room.

Continuing down the hall I picked up speed, wanting to fall into his arms and be told everything was fine, when in fact everything was as wrong as it could be. Erica and Max obviously felt the same way, because even though we heard voices at the end of the hall we had started running from we didn't stop. They stopped as we were within fifty feet of the room.

"The princesses and prince have returned go get them, before they run off again!" a yell came from who I guess was someone Stacie had recently hired. We all picked up speed and ran straight into the room. I slammed the door shut behind us and locked it. I looked up and saw Stacie and my father pulling away from a kiss. Stacie's face got red and I could tell she was angry. My father's eyes widened as he ran over to us and pulled us into a hug.

"Max, Erica, Emma! I'm so glad you're all okay!" he told s as he let go. I glanced at Max and Erica. Erica nodded her head in Stacie's direction, and I nodded back.

"Dad can we talk to you alone?" Max asked glancing at Stacie who crossed her arms over her chest and raised her eyebrows.

"Sure son. Stacie a moment with them alone please." He said to Stacie who stormed out of the room, which he didn't notice as always. "Sit, sit." He told us motioning to a couple chairs in front of a fireplace. "You know Stacie found that note you left and it scared me half to death." He said after a moment of silence. I nodded and tried to figure out a way to tell him gently that Stacie was a evil, conniving, little, and I don't use this word a lot, bitch.

"Dad it's just that…um…" Erica started and Max cut her off.

"Stacie's a bitch." He blurted out and even he was taken aback that he had just said that. My father's face got red and he became angry.

"You will not say that about your soon to be mother." He scolded him and stood up.

"But dad!" I exclaimed as he turned to face me. "She changed the note. I wrote something completely different then that. And she burned mom's picture, and she broke my picture of Max, Erica, mom and me. she also slapped me twice in five minutes." I told him and he just got more angry.

"You leave tomorrow." He said and walked to the door.

"For where?!" Erica said jumping up from her seat. Max followed suit and stood next to me grabbing a hold of my hand.

"Emma for Georgia, the country, Erica for Kazakhstan, and Max for Uganda." He said and my mouth dropped he slammed the door behind him and then opened it back up. "You're all under house arrest till then." He told us and slammed the door once again. Max jumped on me into a hug and I hugged back tightly pulling Erica into the hug. She squeezed the tightest of us all. A minute later a man walked through the door and told us he would be taking us back to our room.

He led the way and then locked the conjoining doors of our rooms. He locked us in and left. I fell onto the bed crying. I sat there for the next half hour before my back pocket started to buzz. I pulled out the phone Denise had bought me and saw a new text from Max. It said Bobby pin. I was a bit confused until I figured out what he meant. I ran over to my dresser and pulled a bobby pin off of the pile sitting on top of the mirror tray my mom had got me for my eighth birthday. I ran over to the door that connected Erica and my room. I knelt down and started to pick the lock. Max and I had had a wild day where w ended up locking each other in the dungeon cells and had to pick the locks with hair pins. The door swung open with a little click and Erica sat up from her bed. I shushed her and ran over to Max's door. The happened except he was waiting for me on the other side. We walked back over to Erica's bed and sat down just staring at each other for the next half hour before my phone went off again. I looked at the caller id and saw Dean's face pop up on the screen. I quickly answered and said hello.

"Hey!" he said with relief coating his voice. "How'd it go with your dad?" he asked and I groaned.

"He won't believe anything we tell him." I said and placed my head on my left hand.

"Okay well do you have anything to prove that you're not lying? A note a video clip," he kept going, but I didn't listen past then.

"Guy's we've got her." I told them and they looked confused as heck. "Dean I love so much thank you! Bye!" I said and hung up the phone running into my room, with Erica and Max right behind me.


	8. Chapter 8

My room safe secure and suppose to be the one place where no one can see me do anything. Wrong. Video camera disgusted as a planet, voice recorder disgusted as a picture on the wall. Of course I was lied to. I was lied to my whole life why would this be any different. I tore the top of the planet off and took the video camera out of the soil. I walked over to the door and threw it open.

"I need to see my father." I told the man firmly and he nodded slowly and head off with us behind him. Five minutes later after crossing the whole place, we arrived at the court room where the court was discussing the topic of who would rule the kingdom. "Evening men and woman." I said nodding to Kelly who sat down a couple chairs from where I stood. I could see my father was growing angry, but I held my hand up to silence them all. "I have proof Stacie is a bitch," I said and a gasp came out of everyone, but my fathers mouths. "a video tape." I directed towards Stacie who sat next to my dad. She was glaring at me with complete question in her eyes. "Zach please plug this into main screen I said tossing him the camera and grabbing the remote. "Just watch dad." I pleaded him and he just crossed his arms and faced the screen. I looked back at Erica and Max who nodded for me to keep going.

"Okay so here I am as Erica enters the night of the ball. Then here comes Max and Stacie," I said pointing to everyone as the scene played back before me. "turn up the volume please I said to Zach and he nodded. The scene now had sound and Stacie was just about to talk.

"Well Erica you look fine, Emma…you look like your self. I'm not impressed." She said the part about France and her and my father. She then turned to leave and it was obvious that she hit the dresser shattering the picture on purpose. "Oops did I do that?" came next and then the burning my mother portrait. I felt tears well up behind my eyes watching the scene for the second time in one week.

"Okay that one was second another one was first." I said hacking into the security system site and pulling up the video of in front of the garage. "Here is just hours before hand." I said and played back the video. The lights got flipped back on Erica, Max and I were told to leave. We left and went back to our rooms. I sat on my bed with the conjoining door locked crying the tears from the past week. A knock came upon my door thirty minutes later. "Come in." I called and in walked my father looking tired and distrate. "You okay daddy?" I asked as he sat down next to me on the bed.

"No I'm not." He told me and I looked at him confused. "I got so excite about finding someone to stay with for the rest of my life, that I just pushed your best interests out the door, along with Max and Erica's. you warned me about Stacie and I wouldn't listen. I just wanted you to have a mom." He told me and I smiled at his courage to admit this to an eighteen year old.

"Dad I have a mom. She always here even if it's not physically, but in here," I said putting my hand over my chest. It was cheesy and possibly one of my most loved lines from movies. "and I couldn't ask for a better dad than you. What you did was out of love not a personal desire."

"When did you become so smart?" he said and I shrugged. He laughed and hugged me. "By the way," he said before opening the door into Erica's room. "someone is here to see you." He winked and I got confused. I stood up and walked to the door, opening it I heard a familiar voice float up the stairs. I ran down them half way and stopped. There he stood my savior, from the suitors and my father's savior. I smiled and waved slightly before running down the rest of the stairs and jumping into his arms.

"Thanks." I said pulling away from the hug. Dean just smiled and nodded. Then it happened the kiss at every end of a fairytale story. The one kiss between true loves, the knight in shining armor and the princess. I'm not gonna go into detail because everyone know what's it described as and I couldn't put it in other terms.

That was six years, and now I'm in down town Paris drink a soda in a café down town. Dean and I broke up three years ago after we graduated college. He now lives in New York City about to open his first art gallery. I live in London and write for the London Times. Dean got married a year after we broke up and he and his wife now have a beautiful daughter name Isabella who turns one on…you guessed it, April 21 the same day as mine. Oh…in fact I fly out to Greshva to see Erica for our birthday in one week.

If I live in London why am I in Paris. Paris Fashion Week. I got the job of doing a review it with my co-work and boyfriend Mark Gonzales. We've been dating for the past year. He and I moved in with each other about two weeks ago.

Quinn, Jack, Peter, and Keiko moved out here to England after college with me. Jack is playing rugby for a British professional team, while Peter is a publisher for a book company. Keiko and Quinn are currently choreographing a new music video for Becky Jane Taylor, and own their own dance studio, which I work at part time. Quinn and Jack got engaged a year ago and are getting married the week I get back from Greshva. Keiko and Peter got eloped the week we graduated from school, and then came back and had the biggest ceremony I ever saw.

Max ended up going to MIT and then went to California to get a job. He currently works at the Orange County Auto Shop, or at least that's what I think it's called. Max didn't want the thrown and neither did I, but Erica said she would take it. So she currently rules over the country of Greshva. Also she and john Paul got a thing going. They're currently engaged to get married at the end of June. Max got engaged to to a girl named Charlotte Evens and is preparing for his wedding in a month.

I'm the last one that's not committed to someone for the rest of their lives. It's fine with me though. I have everything I need. I'm friends, my family, speaking of which, my dad did get remarried, but to a lovely older woman who I view as a great best friend and a mother figure. Anyway back to topic, I have everything I ever wanted and more. A thought runs through my mind though, what if I stay alone for my whole life. I turn to look down and the thought completely disappears. By my right hand is a small red box with a red rose laying next to it. I look up and see Mark sitting across from me. He nods to the box and I pick it up. I open it and inside is a small diamond ring simple and perfect. A small tear runs down my face as I nod and he takes the ring out and slips it on my finger. He kissed me and whispers in my ear.

"And they live happily ever after." He whispers and I smile. That little line tells me he read everything I wrote on this laptop.

We stand up and I close the laptop slightly. The writings still up but saved, I walked away from it and the writings of everything that has happened to me up until we stood up. As we walk out of the café hand in hand I saw a girl around the age of nineteen slide behind the laptop and look at me confused. I nodded to the laptop and she opens it and starts to read. It's not the regular fairytale ending, no I didn't end up with my knight in shining armor, the first, but I did end up with my knight. And I knew the saying Happily ever after definitely applied here as I saw us together for the rest of my life.

Café girls POV

I saw a woman in her twenties and a man get up and leave. The laptop she was writing on was left there sitting on the table.

"Jennifer, go clean off that table." I heard my boss Madam Suzanne call from the kitchen of the café. I walked over to the table and slide behind the laptop. I looked up at the woman who had left and she nodded for me to read the laptop. I opened it and started to read the first line,

It started out slow and advanced to a quick blow. The wind whipped the loose hair into my face. I watched as the sunset over a blanket of blue. As I watched I heard the most dreaded sound in my world.

"Jennifer Hope Johnson! Stop reading on the job before Madam Suanne finds out and fires you on your third day!" I best friend Gabrielle said playfully hitting my arm. I smiled at her as she slipped away to clean a table. I looked back at the laptop and knew something was special about this writing. I picked it up and placed it by my bag before heading back to my job bussing tables and making drinks. Every now and again glancing at the laptop, intrigued by why a woman would leave behind such a story for anyone to read. But I had a plan for this story, definitely, and completely.


	9. Chapter 9

I have another story in fairytales going up soon so please keep reading and tell other people too

I have another story in fairytales going up soon so please keep reading and tell other people too. I had very little reviews which was sad.

Bubblegumballet


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